Hi everyone! I’m Grace Gilbert, a freshman majoring in Materials Science and Engineering at Pitt. Some activities I’m involved in are the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) and the special projects branch of the Society of Aeronautics and Rocketry (SOAR). This semester I interned for SASE’s executive board to help organize professional and cultural events, such as resume writing and celebrations for Lunar New Year and Holi, while fostering an inclusive environment for Asian students in STEM at Pitt. In SOAR, I collaborated with upperclassman engineering students on the drivetrain subteam in ideating and creating a prototype for NASA’s University Rover Challenge, which we hope to compete in next year.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, origami, hiking, playing piano, and learning languages. I have studied Mandarin Chinese and Spanish the longest, and I have more recently started learning French and Korean. I also like to travel and learn about other cultures, which leads into why I chose this program.

My passion for learning languages, coupled with my curiosity for learning about other cultures, was one the driving reasons behind my choice of Plus3 Costa Rica. I fell in love with the Spanish language after taking it every year in middle school and high school. However, we never got any opportunities to talk with native speakers, and our understanding of customs and traditions in Spanish-speaking cultures was theoretical at best due to limited exposure.

In Costa Rica, I hope to finally practice with native Spanish-speakers and immerse myself in Tico culture to further my passion for these topics. Also, getting to witness the processes of the Costa Rican coffee and banana supply chains first-hand will help me understand principles of business and engineering outside of the United States, which will aid me as a future engineer who will likely work on diverse, possibly international, teams. I’m so excited for this program, and I can’t wait to share my journey with you. See you in Costa Rica!